ElfQuest: The Second Time Around
by Colt and Logan
Summary: History does repeat itself.... What happens when Skywise's cub and Cutter's grandcub become best friends and a fire happens(again)? ANd what if there's a new chief? This is AU, and everything is explained in the second chapter.
1. Default Chapter

ElfQuest: The Second Time Around

History does repeat itself…

_ _

Starr 

"Uh-oh." I mumbled.

"What's wrong?"

"I think I'm stuck." I replied, tugging on the helmet.

"What?" my best friend, (and soul brother) Cloudchaser, walked up next to me.I continued to pull at the helmet.

"What'd you do?" Cloudchaser asked, yanking on one end of the helmet.

"I put my head in it moron." 

"I can see that.How are we going to get you out?"

"I have an idea."

"What?" Cloudchaser asked."Dunking you head in a lake or something?"

"Like I'll tell you." I retorted.I mumbled something incoherent.

"What did you just say?' Cloudchaser asked.

"I said 'we're going to get in deep trouble.'" I repeated.

I sent to my father, Skywise.

**Dad!Can you help me please!**

**Where are you?**

**In the armor storage room.** my face burned with embarrassment, luckily no one could see it.

**You're not suppose to be IN there!**

**I'm sorry.** 

"We are in VERY deep trouble." Cloudchaser mumbled.

A few minutes later, I heard the door open.Someone walked into the room, followed by another person.

"Hi?" I suggested, making another pull at the helmet on my head.I hoped the second person wasn't Cutter.

"You're not suppose to be playing with the scared armor." My father scolded.

"I know, I know…" I groaned.Cloudchaser was totally silent, letting me do the talking.

**You could help me out here.** I snarled at Cloudchaser.

**Don't have to.I wasn't the idiot who stuck my head in the wrong opening of a helmet!**

**They're just like us when we were younger, Skywise.** someone sent in open sending.

**Um, Cloudchaser?** I asked.

**Cloudchaser is not here right now.Please leave your pleading of help at the howl.Thank You!**

"**Cloudchaser!Is Cutter out there?**

**Yes, but considering they don't know I'M here, that's a good thing.**

My father gripped my shoulders and Cutter held on the helmet, and they both pulled.My head popped out easily.

**We should have thought of that!** Cloudchaser mused, unfortunately in an open send.

"Cloudchaser, you're in here!Come out!" Cutter yelled as I rubbed a new bruise on my forehead.

Cloudchaser stepped out of the shadows, smiling weakly.

Cutter and my father stared so hard at us, I could fell their eyes on the wall behind me.Then they busted up laughing suddenly.

**Um, I say we leave before they stop laughing and punish us.** I suggested.

**Good idea!** Cloudchaser agreed, and we ran out of the armory without looking back, because we would be in mondo trouble.

To Be Continued… 

Colt: Hee hee….Okay, this is mine and Logan's story. We wrote it while playing on the trampoline, and the plot develops as we go along. 

Logan: We don't own ElfQuest. Can't sue us. You won't get any money anyways. We're BROKE.

Colt: So, have fun until we write the NEXT part!


	2. Nightstar And The Fire

*Cloudchaser*

*Cloudchaser*

"And those two are the stars my father gave to Leetah and Cutter when they mated." Starr pointed to the sky above us.I ran a hand through Nightstar's fur.He sat patiently between us two as Starr educated me in the stars.

I shut my eyes and took a deep whiff of the night air.My own smell, Starr, the forest, and Nightstar's all met me.

"Cloudchaser?" Starr questioned.

"Mmm?" I opened my eyes.

"We should head back to the tribe." Starr glanced at the sky."It's getting late.Father and Cutter will be wondering."

"True." I nodded, rising to my feet.Starr got up too.

"Bye Nightstar." I jumped down off the rock we were sitting on.Nightstar cocked his head, but stayed.Starr scratched him one more time and joined me.Nightstar started to bark.

"Shhh!" I hissed, snapping his jaws shut."You have to stop that!"

"That's like telling the wolves not to howl." Starr cocked an eyebrow at me.

"He's half wolf." I replied.

"And half something else." Starr sniffed a little, and cringed his nose."Mixed blood.He smells like those wolf brothers the humans keep."

We walked back to the Holt, leaving Nightstar behind us.It was quite a run for us, being only a couple turns of the seasons.

When we reached the Holt, I hoped Skywise and Cutter hadn't noticed we were missing yet.My own father was at the Sunfolk village, where he belonged.So my grandsire, Cutter, was raising me.

I came to reality when I noticed Starr was no longer beside me.

"Starr?" I called, turning.Starr was standing behind me, staring into the forest."What's wrong?"  
**Do you smell that?** he questioned.I sniffed again.A faint hint of smoke.

**Where's it coming from?** I asked.

**I-I can't tell.**

It was getting stronger.I felt slightly frightened.

**Starr!It's headed for us!** I cried.

**Run!**

I didn't have to be told twice.I moved my legs faster than ever before.I had only heard of fire in the stories, and seen the human's fires from a far distance.But it still scared me.

Plunging through the forest, the smell getting stronger, Starr and I ran.

**Look ahead!What is that?** Starr yelled in the panic.

I was shocked.

**A preserver net?** I gasped.

**Out here?** 

I thought quickly.

**Come on!**I grabbed Starr's arm and ran for the net.It was stretched out between some trees, like a real net, only it was solid.

**Climb on!** I hopped up easily.I saw the fire between the trees.Starr climbed up next to me, and we collapsed gasping.

The fire was getting close.The smoke stung my throat, nose, and eyes.But as I suspected, the preserver net was safe from the fire!

The fire surrounded the net.I shivered, and got as far from the fire as possible.Starr was looking towards the sky, and I wondered why.But at the moment, I didn't exactly care.

*Starr*

The fire raged for days.The sky became black from smoke, and felt sad.My entire life father had told me to turn to the sky for help.Now they sky was hidden in a haze.

I was hungry, thirsty, and tired.Falling asleep was hard, because the fire was around us.But as time passed, I could barely stay awake.Cloudchaser was in the same fix.

Ash was floating in the air, making it hard to breathe.

Finally, I gave into sleep.

It was much later I awoke again.The world was total ash.I could barely see two inches in front of me.

"Cloudchaser?" I called, getting a mouthful of ash.I coughed, and covered my mouth with my vest."Cloudchaser?"

**Cloudchaser!Cloudchaser!**

**What?…** I found Cloudchaser's arm.

**Are you okay?** I questioned.

**I'm fine.** he replied.I could see him this close.I almost laughed at the sight.His normally yellow hair was gray with ash, and he was coated in it.He noticed what I was looking at, and even though I couldn't see his mouth, I could tell he was smiling.

**You're no better off Starr.**

I shook my head, trying to hold in the laughter.

Soon, we were both laughing in our sending.They were open now, so anyone could hear.

**Starr!Cloudchaser!**

I sat up quickly.I knew that person!

**Father!** I cried.**Father!**

**Stay there cubs!Wherever you are!Don't move!**

**Skywise!** Cloudchaser yelled.

**Keep sending so we know where to go!**

**Over here!On a preserver net!**

We both called until it was obvious someone was coming our way.We could hear them, though we couldn't see them.

Soon, my sire appeared through the haze around us.Redlance was at his side.

**Redlance!Skywise!**

We were lifted off the preserver net, and father thoroughly inspected me for injuries.Redlance did the same to Cloudchaser.

**No damage done Redlance.** he announced.

**We're fine!** I announced.

**We were scared at all!** Cloudchaser added.

**That's good.** Redlance remarked, smiling slightly.

Father set me back onto the preserver net, and Cloudchaser followed.Redlance and father climbed up behind us.

**Get some sleep cubs.** Redlance sighed.In seconds, both grown-ups were out.I glanced at Cloudchaser.

**I'm starving.** I muttered.

**Me too.** Cloudchaser agreed.**Let's go see if we can find food and bring it back to eat when they wake up.**

**Yeah, good idea.**

We walked around in the gray ash, searching for any remains of food.Charred trees, Burned plants, and other things lay around us.

**I smell meat.** Cloudchaser commented.

**Me too…** I trailed off.The smell was familiar, but the smoke and ash messed up my senses.

Suddenly, Cloudchaser, who was walking ahead of me, stopped abruptly.

**Cloudchaser?** I called.He took a few steps back, and with his shaking hand pointed in front of him.

I looked.

**No…** I gasped.

***REDLANCE!!!!SKYWISE!!!** I screamed.Cloudchaser was staring.

Seconds later, they were behind us.

**What is it?** Skywise asked.Then he saw it.

Cutter was lying in front of us, half burned.

Dead.

To Be continued…

Logan:We….killed…Cutter…

Colt: A lot more will be dead by the end!

Logan:How…reassuring.

Colt:We don't own ElfquestYep yep.

Logan:BTW, this is AU, or alternate Universe, if you couldn't guess.

Colt:And PS, some people who are immortal are mortal in our story…and this takes place sometime after The Hidden Years where Tyleet tells about her cub Patch.

Logan:About…eh…11 years just to give everyone a sense of how old Cloudchaser and Starr are…2 years for carrying babies remember…And Starr's older.

Colt:History does repeat itself!


	3. After Ash And A New Chief

*Star*

*Star*

The fire destroyed almost everything. I say almost because the wolves and my father were alive.We were sitting on the preserver net.Actually, my father and Redlance were watching out, while Cloudchaser and I had fallen asleep for the second time in almost 7 moons.Cutter's body was lying underneath the net, and to be honest, it was nauseating.

When I reawaked, the sky had cleared a little.I sniffed the dark air.I scented something in the wind.With a hint of amusement, I noticed that both my sire and Redlance were asleep.

"Wolfriders!" I shouted into the woods.From the depths of the darkness came a reply! I looked into the dark and saw the wolfriders. Nightfall, who was crying because she didn't know that Redlance was safe with us; Strongbow, Moonshade, and Dart, he being supported by his mother, Leetah, who by her bond to Cutter knew that he was dead; and Treestump, looking eagerly onto the net to see if we had Dewshine. I didn't see Ember or Suntop anywhere. I jumped off the preserver net followed by Cloudchaser. 

"You foolish cub! Where are you going?" Treestump shouted as he felt around for Dewshine.

"To find Ember and Suntop!" Cloudchaser called over his shoulder.

"Wait!" the cry faded.

We raced into the woods and I soon spotted a clump of singed red hair.

"Father?" Suntop called.Suntop? I walked over and cradled Ember's head in my arms.

"Starr. Father... is he?" her eyes cracked open slightly.She didn't need to finish her question. 

"Uh huh. So that makes you chief." I whispered.

"Starr…." Suntop moaned.

"Cloudchaser, he is your father. Go to him!" I ordered.

"Ember, you're chief now!" Cloudchaser cried, helping his father to his feet.

"Not for long… take care of mother…" after she said that she took a breath and died.

"Ember…" I sobbed.

"FATHER!!!!!! Wake up! Please wake up!"

"Cloudchaser?" I raised my head from Ember's body.Cloudchaser turned to me with tears in his eyes, 

"My father is dead."

We picked up the bodies and carried them to the preserver net, holding out tears back and trying not to be sick by the touch of clammy flesh. As we neared the preserver net there were many hands to help us up. We laid Ember and Suntop down on the net.

**They're dead** Strongbow sent. 

**No duh.** I hissed privately to Cloudchaser.

The tribe bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Treestump threw back his head and howled for Cutter, Ember, and Suntop. The tribe joined him, howling their grief to the black sky. Then they stopped short.

"Wait. If Cutter and Ember are dead, and so is Suntop, then who's the new chief?" Moonshade asked.

I pointed at Cloudchaser. They all turned to look at him. 

"What the?"

"Well, he is the son of Suntop, and Suntop was the son of Cutter. The warring blood could have been passed down to Cloudchaser!" 

I think if he could, Cloudchaser would have heavily socked me.

But we all knew that it was true. Treestump walked over to Cloudchaser with his sword drawn. He picked Cloudchaser up off his feet and reached for his hair. 

"AHHHHH! No! No! No! The first thing that I wanna do as chief is to KEEP MY HAIR!"

"Puckernuts. I think you would look good with short hair." I muttered.

To Be Continued…

Colt:Hee hee…

Logan:Ha ha.

Colt:Okay, Logan wrote most of this part…I added a little, but not much.Logan gets credit for this chapter.

Logan:Thank you, thank you…

Colt:(Shoves Logan off the chair)We don't own Elfquest.We just use the characters and make up our own.

Logan:Yeah.'Can the Wolfriders come out and play?'

Colt:Shade and sweet water!


End file.
